Acids fumaric

Fumaric acid is conveniently prepared by the oxidation of the inexpensive furfural with sodium chlorate in the presence of a vanadium pentoxide catalyst  

MALEIC ANHYDRIDE,MALEIC ACID AND FUMARIC ACID] (Vol 15) 

B. Conversion of maleic acid into fumaric acid. Dissolve 10 g. of maleic acid in 10 ml. of warm water, add 20 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and reflux gently (provide the flask with a reflux condenser) for 30 minutes. Crystals of fumaric acid soon crystaUise out from the hot solution. Allow to cool, filter oflF the fumaric acid, and recrystallise it from hot. A -hydrochloric acid. The m.p. in a sealed capillary tube is 286-287°. 

Crotonic acid exists in cis and trans forms (compare maleie and fumaric acids) CH3—C—H CH3—C—H 

Supplement II, 2nd 1929 152-194 Oxalic acid, 502. Succinic acid, 601. Fumaric acid, 737 

Upon heating with hydrochloric acid, maleic acid, m.p. 144°, is converted into fumaric acid, m.p. 287°  

The biological dehydrogenation of succinic acid described in Section 5 8 is 100% stereoselective Only fumaric acid which has a trans double bond is formed High levels of stereoselectivity are characteristic of enzyme catalyzed reactions 

The diethyl fumarate is readily prepared as follows. Reflux a mixture of 146 g. of fumaric acid (Section 111,143), 185 g. (236 ml.) of absolute ethanol, 450 ml. of boizene and 20 g. of concentrated sulphuric acid for 12 hours. Pour into a large volume of water, separate the benzene layer, wash successively with water, saturated lodium bicarbonate solution and water, dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, and remove the solvent on a steam bath. Distil the residue and collect the diethyl fumarate at 213-215° the yield is 150 g. 

The reaction is reversible and its stereochemical requirements are so pronounced that neither the cis isomer of fumaric acid (maleic acid) nor the R enantiomer of malic acid can serve as a substrate for the fumarase catalyzed hydration-dehydration equilibrium 

Racemic acid, ( )-tartaric acid, is a compound of the two active forms. M.p. 273 C (with IHjO), m.p. 205°C (anhydrous). Less soluble in water than (-t-)-tartaric acid. Formed, together with mesotartaric acid, by boiling (4-)-tartaric acid with 30% NaOH solution, or by oxidation of fumaric acid. Potassium hydrogen racemate is very insoluble. 

Description of Method. Salt substitutes, which are used in place of table salt for individuals on a low-sodium diet, contain KCI. Depending on the brand, fumaric acid, calcium hydrogen phosphate, or potassium tartrate also may be present. Typically, the concentration of sodium in a salt substitute is about 100 ppm. The concentration of sodium is easily determined by flame atomic emission. Because it is difficult to match the matrix of the standards to that of the sample, the analysis is accomplished by the method of standard additions. 

Unsaturated Polyesters. Unsaturated polyesters are produced by reaction between two types of dibasic acids, one of which is unsaturated, and an alcohol to produce an ester. Double bonds in the body of the unsaturated dibasic acid are obtained by using maleic anhydride or fumaric acid. 

Optically inactive starting materials can give optically active products only if they are treated with an optically active reagent or if the reaction is catalyzed by an optically active substance The best examples are found m biochemical processes Most bio chemical reactions are catalyzed by enzymes Enzymes are chiral and enantiomerically homogeneous they provide an asymmetric environment m which chemical reaction can take place Ordinarily enzyme catalyzed reactions occur with such a high level of stereo selectivity that one enantiomer of a substance is formed exclusively even when the sub strate is achiral The enzyme fumarase for example catalyzes hydration of the double bond of fumaric acid to malic acid m apples and other fruits Only the S enantiomer of malic acid is formed m this reaction 

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